More Pinays urged to become entrepreneurs

MANILA, Philippines – Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral yesterday urged more Filipino women to become entrepreneurs and avail themselves of the government’s microfinancing programs.

In her keynote address during the celebration of International Women’s Day at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Manila, Cabral said financial independence would empower more Filipinas.

“We encourage women to become entrepreneurs and do what they want to do,” she said. “Real empowerment means financial independence.”

President Arroyo launched last Friday two new microfinancing projects called Harnessing Appropriate Technology to Assist Women (Hataw) and Projects for Women Entrepreneurs (Power).

Cabral said she would discuss with Science and Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro and Presidential Management Staff chief Cerge Remonde the implementing rules and regulations for the new programs.

Mrs. Arroyo has instructed the three officials to spearhead the latest programs for women.

The President earlier ordered the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to set aside funds in the approved national budget for 2008 for Hataw.

She said the DOST has P340 million for technology innovation and commercialization under the 2008 budget outlay.

Another P50 billion has been set aside in loan facilities in various lending windows for micro, small and medium enterprises.

Meanwhile, Cabral said although the Philippines ranked sixth among countries that managed to close the gender gap, there are some Filipino women who still suffer from discrimination.

“Women still experience inequity, they are still subject to a lot of discrimination,” Cabral said.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) pushed for a law that would create a more women-friendly Labor Code in the country.

In a statement, TUCP spokesman Alex Aguilar said the bill will seek stronger protection for female workers nationwide.

“Considering that women now constitute around 40 percent of the 35.9 million people in the national labor force, both the Senate and the House of Representatives should push for a new Labor Code that is more women-friendly,” Aguilar said.

Aguilar urged lawmakers to give the highest priority to the passage of new legislation that would advance the rights and welfare of working women, and improve their work conditions in a big way.

“They are duty-bound to alleviate the plight of women, who are saddled with work in the office or factory and chores at home,” he said.

“Female labor force participants are grossly disadvantaged. Most of our jobless and underemployed are women. They experience discrimination in employment in that in many cases, they are the last to be hired, and the first to be fired,” he said.

He said legislators should pass the bills augmenting maternity leave benefits, add more teeth to the law that requires job-site daycare facilities and nursing rooms for working mothers, and grant free immunization to employees and their dependents.

“Female workers are definitely entitled to longer employment leave benefits due to double workload and pregnancy,” he said.

He cited the need for new legislation that would require provisions for paralegal training on women’s rights and seminars on the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law in collective bargaining agreements between union and management.